Grammar head: ‘Parents shouldn’t worry about funds’

A Bourne headmaster has said his school runs a “tight ship” as concerns have been raised about whether grammar schools will have enough funding in the future.

The Mercury has previously reported that schools in Lincolnshire could get an extra £4.6 million a year under plans for a new National Schools Funding Formula announced by the DfE last month.

But the Grammar School Heads’ Association (GSHA), which represents England’s 163 grammar schools, has raised concerns that most grammar schools could see their funding drop under the reforms to “below sustainable levels”.

Bourne Grammar School is the only grammar school in the area.

Responding to the concerns, its headmaster Jonathan Maddox said: “We are and, for as long as I can recall, have been the worst-funded secondary school in Lincolnshire on a per-student basis.

“But because we know this, and know that it is likely to continue, we deal with it and run a very tight ship.

“Parents should expect to continue seeing their children receiving a superb all-round education, at a well-equipped and well-staffed school, without them needing to worry about how it is all paid for.”

Steven Wilkinson, headmaster of Spalding Grammar School, added: “Whilst it is true that Lincolnshire is set to gain overall as an authority, all but three of the grammar schools in the county are set to lose under the new arrangements.

“Many of them would stand to lose even more if the Government did not put in place its proposed floor whereby the maximum a school could lose is three per cent.”

Mr Wilkinson said his school was working with Spalding High School - the town’s other grammar - to attract pupils with the ability to benefit from a selective education, regardless of background.

He said Spalding Grammar had built a healthy reserve of funds but said it was sad that would need to be used to keep the school running, rather than for investment.

All three schools said they would not be turning to parents to fund the provision.